'Grief can't be an excuse': Peace activist who lost parents on Oct. 7 criticizes Israel at UNSC

Maoz Inon, a peace activist whose parents perished in Hamas's October 7 assault, denounced Israel's policies during an unusual appearance before the United Nations Security Council on Monday. Inon asserted that "our grief cannot be an excuse for war" and accused the government of exploiting the atrocities to wage a "devastating war of revenge."

He called for efforts toward Israeli-Palestinian peace, alongside his Palestinian partner, Aziz Abu Sarah, who co-CEOs an international nonprofit promoting reconciliation. The meeting centered on the UN Security Council's periodic report on the implementation of Resolution 2334, which demands an end to settlement construction. Pakistani UN coordinator Ramiz Alakbarov highlighted Israel's illegal settlement expansion, demolitions, and displacement of Palestinians, alongside claims of harming the humanitarian space in Gaza.

The UK, France, China, Russia, and other nations criticized Israeli settlement expansion and the E1 plan, asserting they impede a two-state solution. Additionally, they proposed trade restrictions and sanctions against individuals involved in violence and settlement activities. Inon, a 51-year-old father of three born in Nir Am, recounted his family's decision to reject revenge two days after his parents were killed.

He emphasized that revenge would not bring his parents back and would perpetuate an endless cycle of trauma and bloodshed.